Friday, June 14, 2013

Naomi Joy's Footprints

Happy Birthday Naomi Joy!


Today our daughter Naomi Joy, would have been 8 years old. WOW! My how time flies so quickly. Yet it just feels like yesterday. Oh how sad you may say - yes - it is bittersweet. And yes I do wish she was here with us. But I have come to a point now where I feel like I have and will continue to move forward each year. It's not that it is something I have "gotten over" -because you never can "get over" a loss of a child - it's just that I have learned over the past 8 years how to carry the loss with me. With God's strength I CAN carry on.

So don't feel sorry for me. Just look at the good things in my life that have come from such a loss:

For one thing, learning to trust & lean on God on a deeper level than I have ever known. This has caused me to grow and stretch my faith in the Lord so very much. At 1st it shook my faith greatly. But I choose to cling to the Lord - knowing full well that He does not want us to suffer like this. Knowing that He too is grieved when His children grieve. He weeps with those who weep.

At first it was tough on our marriage. We had a couple of rocky weeks. Nothing horrible. But not fun. But instead of driving a wedge between us - it drew my husband and I closer to each other. We read in many books and heard many people say that marriages crumble under such a loss. We did not want to be that sad story. We went through this -together- and this common experience on such an emotional level helped us grow closer. With much prayer and the Lord's strength and guidance.

I learned that sometimes we may never know why things happen in this life - but that we must trust that God has a bigger plan - a picture that we cannot see. We will never know until we get Home to Heaven.

Of course we have thought many times that- without Naomi Joy's loss- we never would have been able to adopt our sweet daughter - Ellie. :-) I would NEVER change that! What a blessing and privilege it is to be her Mama! To know that God chose her for us!!! :-)

Suffering such a loss helps others. Those of you who know me well- know that I LOVE to share Naomi Joy's story. It is my way of grieving. Talking about her helps her live on in me. And her little footprints walk on the hearts of all who hear her story and their lives are touched in some small way. Her short life and death helps other parents who have lost a child too.

The loss of one- helps the many.

Out of the ashes comes beauty. You have to go through the storm to see the rainbow. The only way that I got through such a "storm" was to keep my eyes on the Lord. To just let Him hold me.... to carry me through it.

One of several songs that helped me through was this one (copy & paste)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDZMgFax5vA Dancing with the Angels by Monk & Neagle

Bible verses that helped me through & still does are:

"...Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning." ~Psalm 30:5

"He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge.." ~Psalm 91:4

May Naomi Joy's footprints be on your heart today, I pray her life has has touched your life. :-)
Please share how her life has touched yours. Or share of your losses, friends & family that helped
you through, and how God helped you/is helping you through.



3 comments:

  1. This was one of the most difficult times in our lives. We were blessed to be surrounded by so many that loved us and cared for us. God is the strength in times of trouble.

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  2. Really little feet with really BIG footprints. Miss her.

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  3. it strikes me how many people were touched by her life. when I think of her she still touches me in a place no one else could have . I know she is having a happy birthday today

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